Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all patches))

Hi all,

I keep getting a message that I need the latest version of Flash to view this or that site. I have "updated" endlessly, with the same result - I still get the message that I need the latest version of Flash. On the other hand, if I view with Firefox, all's well. In fact, my issue with the Flash player started when I installed Firefox, Netscape and the Flash plug-ins for them so I could test my web site design in other browsers.

This is very similar to <post#=612795>post 612795</post#> but unfortunately, there was no solution. I've done some searching, but haven't found the answer... which may be to uninstall Firefox and Netscape, but...

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

It's annoying, but the two browsers require separate updates...

My IE6 shows a current version of 9,0,28,0 on this page: http://www.adobe.com/products/flash/about/. If you still get messages with this version, it probably indicates some other issue. Is there any pattern to the problem sites? Are they sites in your standard Internet zone? Are the flash problems with the actual site content or ads in sidebars?

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

Hi J, and thanks.

Adobe reports my version as 9.0.28.0 when I follow that link.

I was most amused when I followed a link in a message from Microsoft yesterday, announcing their Launch Event. When I went to their site, they told me "You do not have the latest version of Flash. Click here to download it..." and I couldn't use the page. I followed the link and installed, but it did not update to Microsoft's satisfaction. When I switched to Firefox, everything worked just fine.

Earlier today I followed a link to view a flash-based e-greeting at JacquieLawson.com (where I've been often) and while the greeting played with no problem, a button appeared above with a link to the latest browser.

I have scoured my IE internet setup and nothing pops out at me as an issue. The problems I've seen are with content, not ads. And there are sites (presumably not on the cutting edge) which work fine with the Flash plug-in.

I do know that when I downloaded the Add-In for Firefox/Netscape (and it was a separate download as you noted), I started getting these messages in IE saying I needed the latest version of Flash.

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

I suspect that Flash checks one place on your system for the version regardless of IE or FF. Since you installed the FF version last, I'd guess that its version number is less than the IE version. You could try to uninstall the IE version and re-install.

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

Hi Joe, and thanks.

Actually, I think the problem is a little more complicated than that. I went the Adobe's site and downloaded their remove-all-versions uninstaller. This is the only way (they say) to completely uninstall version 9.

If I try to install Firefox's plug-in first, I am taken to a page at Adobe that offers the installer for "Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera and Internet Explorer." I think this may be the problem. I will try not installing this multi-version plug-in and go to the page offereing the plugin only for IE and see what happens.

Not sure I can come to any conclusions yet, but will post back if I do.

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

OK... it didn't take me long, but here's my conclusion.

The Flash plug-in is an Active-X control. The one I just downloaded and installed (and which, by the way, restored my ability to see the very latest in web site content via IE6) was for IE only and located on a different page at Adobe's site. I suspect that when I downloaded the Firefox, et al, control, it replaced the IE-only plug-in.

I went back to the version checking site and is verifies that I have v 9.0.28.0. Also on that page is a list of plug-ins for other browsers, which seems to identify the latest plugin for Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape and Opera as a different plugin with the same version number. This plug-in might have written over my IE-only plug-in and, because there's something in it that says it also works with IE, trying to install the separate IE plug-in results in... nothing happening.

Anyway, I've moved Firefox and Netscape to a different computer so I can do my browser checks in peace. By the way, I did some further searching using the phrase "I have the latest Flash" and found several threads over the past couple of years detailing this same problem, so apparently it has come up with previous versions as well. Can't swear that it's the exact problem, but certainly the same symptoms. I suspect everyone reporting this issue had more than one browser installed.

If anyone else is having this problem and would like to start over from scratch, here's the info at Adobe to remove the Flash plug-in from all browsers.

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

Well, I'm glad you got it worked out. However, since the other browsers "don't do" ActiveX I doubt the install was overwritten. More likely is that something in the registry got hosed. Maybe someone else who is running mutiple browsers and Flash with each can chime in on how they got it all working.

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

Thanks Joe,

I definitely misundertstood something along the way. No doubt the registry did get hosed and the uninstall removed the registry entries? Anyway, since I have a laptop and can afford to put the other browsers there, I'm good for now...

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

(Edited by HansV to make URL clickable - it's very easy and much more user-friendly. See <!help=19>Help 19<!/help>)

Early this week, someone on one these forums posted a link to the Secunia site (http://secunia.com/software_inspector) to test for out of date, insecure software. I am unable to find the post. After running the test, I found that Firefox, I-Tunes, Quick-Time and Winamp were out of date and insecure. In addition, it showed that I was running three different versions of Flash which were all out of date. I updated each of the first four applications, one at a time and ran the Secunia scan to see that the update took. No problems with the first four.

After installing the update for Flash however, the three old versions were still displayed in the Secunia report. I then ran the "uninstall all" from the Flash site and re-ran the installer for the newest Flash. This time Secunia reported that there was only one obsolete version running and it showed the location and file name as (C:WINDOWSsystem32MacromedFlashflash.ocx) It was dated 6/9/04. I changed the file extension to "old" on this file and rebooted. I went to the Flash test page with IE7, Firefox and Opera and all showed the proper version. Secunia now reports no obsolete flash versions running and flash works in all three of my browsers.

I was not getting update notices from flash and only stumbled on this by running the Secunia Utility. Perhaps this might help kmurdock in trouble-shooting the problem.
Ray

Re: Keep getting message to update Flash (IE6 (all

Hmmm, it can be difficult to completely uninstall "shared" DLL and OCX files because the uninstaller checks for how many programs share that control and should not remove it unless the value is zero. That might be why you had to manually rename the control before being able to complete the update.